Annika & Jonas
Experience rural farm life by the sea
We, Annika and Jonas, run Hällesdalens Gård - a scenic place where the sea meets the forest. Here we live close to nature, animals and the farm, and we put great care and love into everything we do.
We want you to feel welcome and at home when you visit us. Whether you're looking for peace and relaxation or adventure in Bohuslän's beautiful coastal landscape, we're here for you. Do you have any questions? Feel free to get in touch!
Annika
Annika, with her roots in Gothenburg, felt early on that her heart belonged to the countryside, animals and nature, and every spare moment was spent in the stables. Driven by a passion for art and a desire to help people, she trained first as a sculptor and later as a social worker.
Annika is currently in charge of administration, bookings, marketing and house maintenance and decoration. She enjoys tiling, painting and wallpapering, and whenever she gets the chance, she enjoys horse riding or artistic projects in her studio.
Mr Jonas
A bit of a jack-of-all-trades and a skilled craftsman, Jonas takes care of everything from building and maintaining houses to making furniture and fittings.
Jonas grew up in the small community of Kvänum on the Varas Plain and later on the family farm in Öttum. A desire to discover the world brought him to the USA at a young age. There he found his place and stayed for over two decades before returning to Sweden in 2000, but this time to the beautiful Hällesdalen in Bohuslän, where he found a new beginning.
A Sustainable Lifestyle
On Hällesdalens Gård sustainability is a natural part of our business. We strive to live in harmony with nature and preserve the beautiful environment of Bohuslän for future generations.
We built most of the farm ourselves - from the house and grounds to the furniture and fittings, which we design in our own carpentry workshop using wood from our forest. We economise on resources, use organic and locally produced goods, buy second hand and make sure that the number of visitors is kept at a level that nature can handle.
For more sustainable tourism, we are open all year round, creating more jobs and strengthening local businesses. We are also proud to be part of The sustainability life cycle, the West Sweden Tourist Board's initiative on sustainable tourism.
Welcome to a sustainable holiday by the sea - where nature is always in focus.
Read more about the sustainability lifeline here: https://hallbarhetsklivet.se/aktorer/hallesdalens-gard
Our philosophy is that people should feel good in the beautiful nature here with us.
A sanctuary for nature enthusiasts
Nature is our greatest and most important asset, so together we take good care of it. With opportunities for swimming, swimming, cycling, hiking and canoeing, you can explore and experience the West Coast up close, all year round. Every season has its special magic. If you haven't visited Bohuslän during autumn and winter, we highly recommend it. You will not be disappointed.
Stenungsund Tourism Business of the Year 2024
We are extremely proud and happy to be named Tourism Company of the Year. And we will do our very best to manage the trust. It has definitely given us the energy to continue developing our business. Many new visitors find their way to us from all corners of the world, and many come back year after year. That's fantastic, and every visitor has a special place in our hearts.
Some thoughts on the future
We continue to develop our activities to have more legs to stand on. We want visitors to find us all year round. To live well, sleep well, and enjoy nature. Cold baths, sauna, hiking, sleeping under the stars, cycling, playing games, socialising, spending time alone, reflecting. Create memories, personal and shared. Meeting and enjoying each other in harmony. That is our ambition.
The farm has a long history dating back to 1772. From farming to the late 60s, later a horse farm and now a place for relaxation and meetings. We have worked hard to transform the farm into a place for both holiday accommodation and conferences. Since 2010, we have focused on renewing and improving the properties and their surroundings to offer visitors a comfortable, tasteful and sustainable environment in which to enjoy the peace and beauty of Hällesdalen.
FROM cider mill and agriculture to riding school
The history of Hällesdalen goes back to the 18th century. The first dwelling house, Torpet, was built in 1772 when the area began to be populated. During this time, people were attracted to the area because of the herring periods that began at the end of the 18th century, when cider-making was a thriving business. After the herring period, people switched to earning their living mainly through farming, fishing and wood production. Hällesdalens Gård has had many owners over the years and we have owned it since 2000. In the past, the farm has been a riding school, and during the 1980s, camps and courses were held here, which often reminds our guests of previous visits to the farm.
The name Hällesdalen refers to the valley that slopes towards the stream and is part of the rich history and charm that characterises the place.
Animals on the farm
The farm is also home to our four-legged friends who add to the joy and life here. Uffe, our loyal dog, spreads his love and longs for pats. Three cats curiously explore the farm and welcome every visitor. There are also three horses, where Emil, our sweet and gentle Shetland pony, will melt any child's heart. So will the colt Django and his mum Carinosa, of the Spanish P.R.E. breed shown in the photos.
Working on the farm is at the very heart of our lifestyle, we live and breathe with the farm, the business, nature and the animals.
This is how it looks in everyday life on our farm. Photo: Laila Vestlie
Where the studio stands there was once a henhouse. We wanted to recreate a building on the same site and chose to build the studio directly on the old foundation.
The house is made of wood from our own forest. The windows are second hand, and the beautiful door has previously been in a house in Dalarna.
We didn't spend a lot of money on the house - but we did spend many, many hours of our own labour and love.
Annika has her studio here, and there are also some things that Jonas has made, including nice chopping boards that our guests can buy.